writingforyourlife

Hi all,

I’ve officially moved to Write It Sideways, a site devoted entirely to informative articles on fiction, non-fiction, blogging and general business writing.

Check out my latest articles:

• 7 Foolproof Ways to Get Your Manuscript Rejected
• Is Your Manuscript Making You Fat?
  
• The Labouring Woman’s Cure for Writer’s Block
• 10 Publishing Myths Exposed 
• Are Sour Grapes Ruining Your Writing Career? 
• 5 Steps to Writing Simply 
• 10 Ways to Tell You Have Author Potential
  

See you there!

Well, it’s been quite a while since I promised to post a link to my new website.

I’m happy to say that, over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be finalizing the switchover to Write It Sideways .

You’ll soon be able to find great articles on the craft of writing, language and the writing life, all on www.writeitsideways.com

Don’t miss out!

You’ll have to excuse the little break I’ve taken from posting.

I’ve been busy creating content for a new website I’ll be launching using my own domain name.

Check back soon for the link to my new site and more great writing tips.

I came across this YouTube video a while ago, and I’m not sure I agree with it.  I’d like your opinion on the matter.

It’s called “Novel Writing Made Easy,” presented by novelist Andrea Rains Waggener .

While the video offers some good advice for beginning writers, what troubles me more is that Waggener says novel writing can be “dumbed down to such a simple system that it becomes almost like paint-by-numbers.”

In fact, Waggener has created a whole Novel Writing Made Easy system that can be purchased online.

Here’s her promotional video:

I’m sure Charles Dickens would be pleased to know that “Great Expectations” might be little more than a fill-in-the-blanks exercise.  (Okay, maybe I’m being a tad harsh there…)

Sure, you can ‘dumb down’ the writing process.  Does that mean the end result will be good literature?

I’m not saying this system is a scam.  On the contrary, it seems Waggener has some good tips.  I’m simply wondering if it’s really fair to tell people that novel writing is easy.  I think the title is more of a gimmick than anything.

Think about it:  if novel writing is so easy, why are most manuscripts rejected? Why aren’t we all published?

Writing a novel may be easy, but writing a novel someone will want to read is not.

Let me know what you think.

Every creator painfully experiences the chasm between his inner vision and its ultimate expression.  The chasm is never completely bridged. 

~Isaac Bashevis Singer

How much of your story is missing?

When you spend hours, days, months, perhaps even years composting ideas for a novel, you’ve really created an alternate reality.  Depending on how much time you spend in this literary head-space, you may start feeling more comfortable there than you do in your own shoes.

This is great for gathering material with which to write your novel, but it makes it difficult to recognize the crucial details you may be leaving out.

Dare we call them… moth holes?  I just made up that term right now, but you know what I mean.

Just because you happen to know everything about your characters,  setting, and plot, doesn’t mean you’ve been successful in translating those details onto paper.

Sure, when you read through your draft, it all seems to make perfect sense. But then, you’re biased. Your brain is potentially filling in the missing bits.

Will an objective reader think it makes sense?

A submissions editor at a publishing company?

Best to be on the safe side.  Here are 3 ways to avoid moth holes in your story:

1. Map Motivations:  Keep track of why your characters are doing what they do and saying what they say.  Write it down somewhere and review it often.  Make sure those details are subtly woven into your story.
2. Take a Long Break:  When you finish your first full draft, put it away for a long time–at least 2 months.  You’ll have fresher eyes when you return to it.  You’ll notice things your brain glossed over before.
3. Get a Second Opinion:  Don’t get your best friend or your grandma to read your manuscript.  They’re far too nice.  Get someone honest (and someone who has good literary taste)  to read it and tell you what’s missing.

So, no need to abandon your alternate reality.  No need for those smelly mothballs either.

Just make sure your feet are on the ground when you’re editing, and your manuscript is sure to be moth-hole free.